Paul Felder (Barry Champlain) is thrilled to be working with New City Stage and Bill Roudebush for the second time. He still can't get over the fact that he is playing BARRY CHAMPLAIN! Paul made his professional debut with Bill and New City as Raul in Extremities last season. Recent credits include: Magnetic North (Act II Playhouse), This is Our Youth (Theatre Revolution), and in April Paul will once again be fortunate to work with New City Stage in their Philadelphia Premiere of Chicken as Floyd. He graduated last year from the University of the Arts' acting program, where he was selected to perform the one man show Tongues by Sam Sheppard at the Liverpool Institute of Performing Arts in London. Paul would like to thank NCS for the opportunities that have started a young actor's career; Bill for being not only an amazing director but also a mentor and inspiration as an artist and a true friend; Lynnia for running lines all the time; and his parents and Uncle Phil for always being there. Love you guys.
Brian Anthony Wilson (Stu Noonan) is excited to be a member of this talented cast and finally to work under the direction of his favorite acting teacher. He began his theatrical journey almost 25 years ago at Freedom Theater. Since then he has performed with many local theatres including Act II Playhouse, Bushfire, InterAct, Lantern, People's Light, Philadelphia Theatre Company, Philly Shakespeare, and the Arden where he was recently seen in The Piano Lesson and Our Town. Regional credits include: Jitney at KC Rep and Arizona Theatre CO., Intimate Apparel at Indiana Rep and Syracuse Stage, Senses and A Christmas Carol at Actor's Theatre of Louisville, and 12 Angry Men and Two Trains Running at Cleveland Playhouse. Film/TV credits include all 5 seasons of HBO's The Wire as Detective Vernon Holley. Next up: the one-man show Looking Over the President's Shoulder at Hedgerow Theatre, Eggs at People's Light, and the feature film Shelter starring Julianne Moore. Many thanks to Bill & Ginger. For my baby girl Parker Noelle.
Mark Jesse Swanson (Spike/Sound Designer/Asst. Director) is very pleased to be working with New City Stage again and in so many different capacities. He is a senior at the University of the Arts where he is majoring in Theater Management and Production. He is a founding member of "The Yes, Ampersands" comedy troupe and has been seen in ensemble shows such as The Yes, Ampersands and Between Barack and a Hard Place. Recent design credits include Extremities with New City Stage, The Young Voices Monologue Festival collaboration with InterAct Theater Company and Philadelphia Young Playwrights, and Voices of War with American Concert Theater. He would like to thank Bill, Ginger, and everyone at New City Stage for the opportunity to be a part of this amazing production. Looking forward to Chicken!
Ginger Dayle (Linda MacArthur) couldn't be happier to be spending the holidays with the crazy cast and crew of Talk Radio. She is the Producing Artistic Director and founder of New City Stage, and started the company because she wanted to give more opportunities to the large pool of talent here in Philadelphia, particularly recent graduates looking to start their careers. She has acted in New City's previous productions of Angel, Sunshine, and Extremities. Appearances with other companies include Lulu in The Dutchman, Ensemble in La Cage Aux Follies, Blitzen in Eight Reindeer Monologues, and Miss Alma in Summer and Smoke. She spends most of her days and nights at Symmetry Dance Wellness with Kip, to whom she sends her love and appreciation. Special kudos to Cindy and David for their outstanding design work, and Mr. Bogosian for a great opportunity for NCSC.
Gene D'alessandro (Dan Woodruff, Male Callers) is delighted to be performing with New City Stage and working with Bill again. His previous Roudebush experiences include Lost in the Archives at the Union League and A Few Small Repairs with Painted Bird Productions. Recently he was seen in Monster for Luna Theater, The Widow's Blind Date for Green Light Productions, and Eurydice with the Wilma Theatre (which was nominated for a Barrymore Award for Best Ensemble). Other favorites from last season include: Bennie in Getting Out with Simpatico Theatre Project and Bill in The Faculty Room with Flashpoint Theatre. Gene is a proud graduate of Temple University's School of Communications and Theatre.
Randall McCann (Sidney Greenberg, Male Callers) is very happy to be making his Philadelphia theater debut with the New City Stage. He last appeared as Victor in the Tri-State Actor's Theater production of Arthur Miller's The Price. Some of his favorite roles include Detective Tupolski in The Pillowman, Mick Dowd in A Skull in Connemara, Morgan in The Drawer Boy, Lenny in Of Mice and Men, Vinny in Simpatico, and a long time ago in a galaxy far far away, Stu in Talk Radio. Randy holds a BFA in theater production from the Mason Gross School of the Arts at Rutgers University. He would like to thank Margie and the kids, Brian and Emily, for their love and support without which he would not be here.
Ed Renninger (Bernie, Male Callers) is thrilled to be making his professionally acting debut with New City Stage. Earlier this year he founded Theatre Revolution and made his professional directing debut with This Is Our Youth, which received praise from the local theatre community. He holds a BFA in acting from the University of the Arts where he performed such roles as David (Enter Laughing), Lee Baum (American Clock), Tony Kirby (You Can't Take It With You), and C.K. Dexter Haven (The Philadelphia Story). Many thanks to Ginger, Bill, my loving girlfriend Haley, my partner in revolution, and my family.
Michael Brinckman (Kent) is in a state of disbelief that he is working on the regional premiere of one of his favorite plays with such a talented group of theatrical professionals. He thanks his parents for allowing him to pursue his dream and Sharon Glassman at Emmaus High School. He recently graduated from Temple University and would like to thank the theatre department. At Temple, Michael was seen in The Devils, Biloxi Blues, Mad Dog Blues, Hello Out There!, and Vigils, several Philadelphia Young Playwrights productions, and The Darker Face of the Earth, which was cited by the Kennedy Center for its achievements in ensemble acting. He interned at the Walnut Street Theatre for The Thing About Men and appeared in Represented Theater Company's Sidewalk Café, where he serves as their dramaturge. Also seen in 9/11: A Day in the Life of a People (Philly Fringe) and Tales from Poe (Hedgerow Theatre).
Drucie McDaniel (Dr. Susan Fleming, Female Callers) has been seen in film (Girl, Interrupted, Jersey Girl, Fallen, Twelve Monkeys, Edge City, The Narrows and Explicit Ills), TV (Law & Order, Law & Order SVU, The Adversaries, All My Children) & stage (including the Wilma, InterAct, 1812 Productions, Delaware Theatre Company, Act II Playhouse, Brat Productions, and Walnut Street Theatre - most recently last spring in Quartet), as well as national television & radio commercials. She has produced and directed for radio, television, and theatre. Stage directing credits include WST, Foundation Theatre, National Constitution Center, Passage Theatre, Women's Theatre Ensemble, Open Air Theatre of NH, Theatre Ariel, InterAct, Tampa Bay Performing Arts Center, International Children's Theatre Festivals at Annenberg and St. Louis, Discovery Theatre at the Smithsonian Institution, Project Arts Center in Dublin, Ireland, The Village Gate in NYC, 10 years as Artistic Director of Philadelphia Theatre Caravan, and the Rosenbach Museum and Library (where she appears every Bloomsday on June 16th as James Joyce's Molly Bloom.) Private acting coach for over 25 years and 18 years teaching at University of the Arts. Many thanks to Bill, NCS, & everyone associated with this production! Love to MMC.
Leah Walton (Rachael, Female Callers) has performed with numerous companies since moving to Philadelphia in 2004, including Walnut Street Theatre (The Odd Couple), InterAct Theatre Company (Skin in Flames), Pig Iron Theatre Company (Pay Up—Barrymore Nomination Best Ensemble), EgoPo Productions (Vieux Carre, Spring Awakening -- Barrymore Nomination Best Ensemble), Montgomery Theatre Company (10% of Molly Snyder), and Mum Puppettheatre (Rhinoceros). She has also collaborated with local artists, to create original theatrical pieces, including The Giant Squid for the 2008 Philly Fringe. She is a freelance theatre teacher, coaching actors of all ages & abilities. Currently teaching at Walnut Street Theatre School and HMS School for Children with Cerebral Palsy. Leah trained at Ithaca College, Eugene O'Neill Theater Center's National Theater Institute, and the Moscow Art Theatre School in Russia.
Neill Hartley (Vince Farber, Voice of WTLK) has directed for New City Stage several times before, including Angel, Sunshine, and The Woolgatherer. He will be directing the Philadelphia premiere of Chicken on the Second Stage at the Adrienne in April. He is an actor and professor, and received his MFA in Acting from Temple University, where he now teaches. He also teaches Voice and Speech at University of the Arts and is a dialect coach for many local theatres. As a voice over artist, he can be heard as Gordo the Space Monkey in the soon-to-be released videogame SpaceNation. Look for him on TV in commercials for PA Lottery and PA Tourism (national spot). Past stage credits include: God's Country and Aunt Dan and Lemon (InterAct Theatre), Measure for Measure, Twelfth Night, and A Midsummer's Night Dream (Phila. Shakespeare), and Batboy: The Musical (1812 Productions, which won the Barrymore Award for Best Ensemble).